It's official Rolie blows away Cain

[Toph]

After listen to the re-recordings of the classic Journy songs, especially "Lights", "Wheel In the Sky", and "Anyway You Want". I have to admit the following:

Losing Gregg Rolie on backup vocals hurt the Journey sound. Rolie has a great voice. Cain's voice, to put it mildly, SUCKS. Don't believe me? Try to get through one of his solo albums. Listen to "Every Generation" of Generations....

Think about how those songs on Escape or Frontiers would have sounded had Rolie been backing up Perry instead of Cain. Listen to how badly the background vocals of those re-recordings of those pre Escape songs sound vs. the originals.

Cain may be able to play keys and write decent songs, but someone should turn off his microphone..

[NealIsGod]

You trying to make Friga cry?

[Onestepper]

Took you 20+ years to figure that out?

[Matthew]

Try to get through one of his solo albums. Listen to "Every Generation" of Generations....

I tried to get through the first three Journey albums recently. It was a tough job...

[strangegrey]

Took you 20+ years to figure that out?

Yeah, go figure. most of us knew this before Rocky Balboa met Thunderlips...

[Toph]

Took you 20+ years to figure that out?

Yeah, go figure. most of us knew this before Rocky Balboa met Thunderlips...

Sorry, new to the board...

For those veterans, why did they replace Rolie with someone with such inferior vocal skills? I also notice that it this point Perry starts overdubbing himself more... strange coincidence? I think not...

[Tito]

After listen to the re-recordings of the classic Journy songs, especially "Lights", "Wheel In the Sky", and "Anyway You Want". I have to admit the following:

Losing Gregg Rolie on backup vocals hurt the Journey sound. Rolie has a great voice. Cain's voice, to put it mildly, SUCKS. Don't believe me? Try to get through one of his solo albums. Listen to "Every Generation" of Generations....

Think about how those songs on Escape or Frontiers would have sounded had Rolie been backing up Perry instead of Cain. Listen to how badly the background vocals of those re-recordings of those pre Escape songs sound vs. the originals.

Cain may be able to play keys and write decent songs, but someone should turn off his microphone..

Greg Rolie is a better musician as far as vocals and keys. However, I would give Cain the edge in songwriting and I would not say Cain's vocals suck. They are decent. As far as how Escape and Frontiers would've sounded with Rolie, I would imagine it probably would've sounded like something off Infinity, Evolution, or Departure and those would've been the type of songs you would've heard. Those classic songs off of Escape and Frontiers would not have been written without Cain.

[Tito]

Took you 20+ years to figure that out?

Yeah, go figure. most of us knew this before Rocky Balboa met Thunderlips...

Sorry, new to the board...

For those veterans, why did they replace Rolie with someone with such inferior vocal skills? I also notice that it this point Perry starts overdubbing himself more... strange coincidence? I think not...

I was going to address this in my last post. But I think your answer may be somewhere in your question.

[KISSNTIME]

Try to get through one of his solo albums. Listen to "Every Generation" of Generations....

I tried to get through the first three Journey albums recently. It was a tough job...

The first three Journey albums rule (very underrated IMO), but it depends on your taste.

I agree that Rolie is a much better vocalist and musician, but those songs never would've been written without Cain so it's a moot point.

At this point though, I think Cain is dead weight as a songwriter. The two pre-Cain sounding tunes (Like A Sunshower and What I Needed) on Revelation are my favs and I would've liked more Schon and less Cain anyway. Replacing Cain with Rolie would be the best thing Journey could do right now.

[conversationpc]

Cain's vocals are not that bad...He's certainly not a great singer or even good, for that matter, but he is average. The thought never passes my mind that his voice sucks when I hear him sing, nor do I ever think that he is all that great. Just average.

[Tito]

Try to get through one of his solo albums. Listen to "Every Generation" of Generations....

I tried to get through the first three Journey albums recently. It was a tough job...

The first three Journey albums rule (very underrated IMO), but it depends on your taste.

I agree that Rolie is a much better vocalist and musician, but those songs never would've been written without Cain so it's a moot point.

At this point though, I think Cain is dead weight as a songwriter. The two pre-Cain sounding tunes (Like A Sunshower and What I Needed) on Revelation are my favs and I would've liked more Schon and less Cain anyway. Replacing Cain with Rolie would be the best thing Journey could do right now.

Neal did a fantastic job on this CD (writing and performing). Cain also had a few homeruns as well.

[Lula]

gregg rolie is as yummy as a piece of cake! love his velvety smooth voice and no one can touch his organ

[stevew2]

Friga looks and sounds like a frog when he sings,

[Deb]

gregg rolie is as yummy as a piece of cake! love his velvety smooth voice and no one can touch his organ :lol:

LMAO! Not even going to touch that one Lu!

But I agree, I LOVE his and Perry's voices together........definite fave is Just The Same Way....love it!

[Tito]

gregg rolie is as yummy as a piece of cake! love his velvety smooth voice and no one can touch his organ

This better REALLY be Lula or this is disgusting.

[stevew2]

gregg rolie is as yummy as a piece of cake! love his velvety smooth voice and no one can touch his organ

I thought you were Progg for a minute

[Matthew]

why did they replace Rolie with someone with such inferior vocal skills?.

Er...you do know that Jonathan Cain was hired to be the keyboardist in the band don't you?

I also notice that it this point Perry starts overdubbing himself more... strange coincidence? I think not...

I actually prefer Perry's over-dubs to Rolie's backing vocals but that aside....let's not forget that Rolie wasn't fired. He left entirely on his own accord. So I'm not sure there's much to justify a conspiracy theory here...unless you know something different Toph.

[STORY_TELLER]

gregg rolie is as yummy as a piece of cake! love his velvety smooth voice and no one can touch his organ

Hi Deano!

[Perrydise]

Gregg is sorely missed.

[Onestepper]

why did they replace Rolie with someone with such inferior vocal skills?.

Er...you do know that Jonathan Cain was hired to be the keyboardist in the band don't you?

I also notice that it this point Perry starts overdubbing himself more... strange coincidence? I think not...

I actually prefer Perry's over-dubs to Rolie's backing vocals but that aside....let's not forget that Rolie wasn't fired. He left entirely on his own accord. So I'm not sure there's much to justify a conspiracy theory here...unless you know something different Toph.

GR also recommended Cain for the gig, so maybe we've completed this history lesson. Listening to all of Rolie's solo stuff, I think Cain clearly is a better writer. GR is a much better performer live though. Cain's solo's are just flat out boring.

[RedWingFan]

Friga looks and sounds like a frog when he sings,

"Hello my baby, hello my darlin'....."

[larryfromnextdoor]

everytime i hear Black Magic Woman etc..... i think how many folks dont realize that was the voice of early journey...

[Rhiannon]

everytime i hear Black Magic Woman etc..... i think how many folks dont realize that was the voice of early journey...

Ditto...!
...it's also the closest you'll come to ever playing anything Journey-related on Guitar Hero... they really need to release a song pack for Rock Band as well, have 2 classics and one new song... boost some album sales fo shiz.

[Centaure]

Maybe I will be hard with Journey on this, but every member changes (exepted maybe for Perry and Pineda) in the history of Journey made the band a weaker one.
musically.

Dunbar was better than Smith in the early days (now both are legendary)
Rolie was better than Cain and still is.
Smith was better than London and Baird
Valory was better than Jackson
Smith is better than Castronovo
Perry was better than Augeri

At least, Valory is back since TBF, Pineda is as good or maybe even better than Augeri.

Cain is a good pop songwritter, probably better than Rolie. He writes great ballads and helped Journey to become very sucessfull, but with him, Journey lost a better keyboardist and a great vocalist.

Anyway, even with all thoses changes, Journey is still a great band.

[stevew2]

You trying to make Friga cry?

Friga doesnt cry, remember "behind the music" didnt see one tear

[Matthew]

Maybe I will be hard with Journey on this, but every member changes (exepted maybe for Perry and Pineda) in the history of Journey made the band a weaker one.
musically.

Dunbar was better than Smith in the early days (now both are legendary)
Rolie was better than Cain and still is.
Smith was better than London and Baird
Valory was better than Jackson
Smith is better than Castronovo
Perry was better than Augeri

At least, Valory is back since TBF, Pineda is as good or maybe even better than Augeri.

Cain is a good pop songwritter, probably better than Rolie. He writes great ballads and helped Journey to become very sucessfull, but with him, Journey lost a better keyboardist and a great vocalist.

Anyway, even with all thoses changes, Journey is still a great band.

Except Perry did take over the lead vocalist role from Rolie...and that was a pretty spectacular improvement.

And I know we all love Ross Valory and everything but not even his own mother would say he's a better bassist than Randy Jackson.

[Deb]

Friga looks and sounds like a frog when he sings,

"Hello my baby, hello my darlin'....."

Too funny! I remember that cartoon.

[annie89509]

everytime i hear Black Magic Woman etc..... i think how many folks dont realize that was the voice of early journey...

As a kid growing up in San Fran, I always loved those Santana songs on the radio. Everybody in that band was a no name, though, but Carlos. Gregg has an excellent singing voice .... soft and smooth. You really can pick him out singing backup to Steve in the live concert boots (love the duets, too). Maybe, not a coincidence, that from ESCAPE on, they went with taped bg vox exclusively in concert.

[Centaure]

Except Perry did take over the lead vocalist role from Rolie...and that was a pretty spectacular improvement.

And I know we all love Ross Valory and everything but not even his own mother would say he's a better bassist than Randy Jackson.

Well, with Perry, Journey changed their musical direction. I just can't imagine Perry singing Of A Lifetime, for exemple. To me, the first 3 albums are a completly different beasts. Anyway I could agree with you that Perry is a better singer than Rolie.

As for Randy Jackson being better than Ross... I would say... not in Journey. Valory is very impressive on the first 3 albums. I never understood the hipe about Jackson being better than Valory. Where does that come from ?

[Journey/Survivor]

After listen to the re-recordings of the classic Journy songs, especially "Lights", "Wheel In the Sky", and "Anyway You Want". I have to admit the following:

Losing Gregg Rolie on backup vocals hurt the Journey sound. Rolie has a great voice. Cain's voice, to put it mildly, SUCKS. Don't believe me? Try to get through one of his solo albums. Listen to "Every Generation" of Generations....

Think about how those songs on Escape or Frontiers would have sounded had Rolie been backing up Perry instead of Cain. Listen to how badly the background vocals of those re-recordings of those pre Escape songs sound vs. the originals.

Cain may be able to play keys and write decent songs, but someone should turn off his microphone..

Cain is the better piano and synth player of the two. Rolie is the better organ player of the two.

Rolie is the better singer of the two for sure. However, Cain's not a bad singer. Just not as good as Rolie. And yes, I do have all of Cain's solo albums.